Electrolytic cell.



F. H. mom;

:ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILE D AUG- 19, I914.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

, m M W N I Mum/8858.-

M N H K m 5 A TTOR/VE Y F. H. NICKLE.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FI LED AUG.l9,1914.

. Patented Sept. 10,1918.

Que! 1 e I WITNESSES By f w 9% g Arrow/Er 31. NECKLE, @11 MIDLAND,

ELECTEULYTIC CELL.

Improved Electrolytic Cell, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrolytic cells of the diaphragm type, and especl'ally'to such as are adapted for the electrolysis of alkali-metal .chlorids, particularly sodium and potassium chloride. I

Some of the objects of my invention are: to provide a cell wherein the anode cover and the anodes depending therefrom are supported independently of the cathode.

jacket and diaphragm which form the anode vessel; to provide a cell wherein the anode supporting cover is substantially free between the walls of the anode compartment,

so that the anode supporting cover may be lifted out of the anode compartment without the loosening of bolts or clamping-memhers; to-reduce waste in the stub ends of the carbonanodes; to distribute the disintegration of the anodes; to provide means for visibly determining the level of the electrolyte in the anode compartment; and to provide a construction wherein the diaphragm is tensioned to avoid buckling, rather than compresseth'when clamped in place.

This invention consists in the details of construction shown, described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the'drawings, Figure 1 is a combined half-plan view and half horizontal section in a cylindrical cell in which my invention is embodied. lfig. 2 is a combined half side view and half vertical section of the same cell. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a rectangular cell in which my invention is also embodied.

I 4c is a side view'corresponding to Fig.

3,"p arts being'broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 5 is a combined haliend 'view and half-section on the line 55 of-Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6+6iat a larger scale than Fig. 5.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the circular ring or plate 1, that may be of stoneware or cement composition, serves as a bottom for the anode Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Sept. MD, 19180 Application filed August 19, 1914. Serial No. 857,481.

compartment, and has supported thereon the centrally disposed cylinder 2 of like composition, that constitutes an internal feed cup, to which the electrolyte, usually a solution or" sodium chlorid, may be sup plied by means of the pipe 3. Communication between the feed cup and the surrounding (or anode) chamber is aiiorded by 1 means of one or more lateral openings at in the cylinder 2. Located in the upper por tion of the feed cup is a siphonic overflow pipe 5. It will be understood that whenever the cup becomes filled to the upper level of the siphon, the latter will automatically cause the liquid to be discharged until it has become lowered to the level of the intake end ofthe siphon. This action, it will also be apparent, causes the hydrostatic head of the liquid in the cup and the opening at to automatically vary, the-utility of which will be hereinaiter pointed out.

Centrally disposed and resting upon the upper marginal edge of the internal feed cup is a circular ring or cover 7 from which a plurality of anodes 8 depend. The anodes, preferably square in cross-section, protrude up through the cover in any manner that will provide a gas-tight joint and afford a suitable contact with the positive conductor bars 10.

Surrounding the anode chamber is a per-. iorated sheet metal cathode 15, preferably of frusto-conical form, the lower base being the smaller, conforming to which is the permeable diaphragmv 16, that may be of asbestos composition. The upper portion of the diaphragm is secured against the-cathode by means of a ring 17, preferably hard rubber, that is wedge-shaped in cross section, and that, when forced downward into place. serves to press the diaphragm tightly against the cathode. The lower portion of the diaphragm is clamped in position against the cathode, and the diaphragm is tensioned by the bottom plate 1 that, when driven into place, exerts a radial wedging action in the direction of the cathode. Attached to the cathode is a conductor 18 that leads to the other pole of the sourcecf current.

, The cathode is in turn surrounded by a container-wall 19, preferably sheet metal and cylindrical, that is spaced somewhat therefromto form the cathode chamber 20, the lower end of which is closed by an annular ring 21 which may be made integral with the container-wall. The joint between the ring 17 and the plate I may be sealed by putty or other plastic. 22.

. anode chamber and may be withdrawn through the hole 24 in the plate 7.

The object of making thecathoble-dia phragm in theform of the frustum of a cone, spaced less from the lower than the upper ends of the anodes, is to facilitate the liberation of the chlorin gas from the electrolyte} and tdmainta-in'inaximum electrical activ'ityat the lower ends of the anodes. In this manner progressive disintegration of theworkingface of the anodes from the bot tom. upward is efiected, as the disintegration is proportional to the electrical activity. To maintain maximum electrical activity at the lower end ofthe anodes, the. space between the anodes and the diaphragm must be sufficient to freely liberatel the chlorin gas to avoid the dielectric effect due thereto. In this respect, for a given current density, it is obvious that the deeper the anodes are im; mersed, the greater must be the distance between the anodes and the diaphragm at the upper working faces thereof. In practice, I find that the minimum distance between the anodesand the diaphragm, at the upper working faces thereof, should not be less than one tenth of the maximum effective height of the anode working face.

To facilitate the lifting of the anode supporting ring or plate 7, the inside diameter of the central hole 25 therein may be made somewhat smaller than the inside diameter of the internal feed cup 2, the inwardly projecting edge of the late in this case serving as a convenient place to attach any suitable lifting device. The anodes may thus be lifted out of the anode compartment without disturbing or dismantling the other arts of the cell, the putty 22 being easily bro ten for this purpose. A j

It will also'be noted that, because the plate 7 is supported directly on the top of the feed cup 2, the entire length of the carbon that projects'below the plate may be utilized for electrolytic purposes, whereby the waste of carbon in ordinary cells is avoided.

In the embodimentof myinvention shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the container 30, U-shaped in cross-section, that may be of sheet metal,

has its upper edges strengthened by the angle-irons 31. Inside of the container and spaced therefrom by the metal strips 32 to form. a cathode compartment 33, is a sheet metal cathode 34, perforated throughout its active area, that-incloses and is in direct contact with. a permeable diaphragm 35. The upper edges of the diaphragm andcathode are held in place by the strips 36, wedge shaped in cross-section (so as to give a vertical inner face), that may be of hard rubher; and the ends of the diaphragm are closed by the walls 37 usually earthenware, that .arepreferably U-shaped, the lower portion being somewhat narrower than the upper. The container, cathode, diaphragm, strips 36, and end walls 37 are securely clamped together by means of the U-bolts38 and cross-bars 39, the latter of which bear on the upper surface of the walls 37 and exert a substantially uniform unit pressure thereon.

An external feed cup 40, either independthelugs 45, upon which rests the rectangular anode supporting plate 417. The plate 47, i

anodes 48 and conductors 49 carried thereby,

correspond, except in minor detail, to similar parts heretofore described; and the edges of the plate may be cemented to the adjacent surfaces by putty or other plastic 50 which forms a gas-tight joint that is, however, easily broken when a suitable lifting device is applied to the eye-bolts 51 for withdrawing the anodes from the cell. Chlorin may be conducted'away through the passage 52 'with which the plate is provided; and the caustic soda may be, drawn-- off through the pipe 53.

The action of this cell is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is clear that many changes may be made in thedetails of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention. I do not, therefore, wish-tobe limited otherwise than as indicated by the subjoined claims.

I claim 1. In an electrolytic cell, the combinationv of an anode'vessel, an internal feed cup w1th1n said anode vessel, means tosupply electrolyte 'to the feed cup, and means to au tomatically cause the level of the electrolyte in the feed cup in said anode vessel to vary from a higher point to a lower point, said points being spaced apart sufficiently to largely prevent local action.

2. In an electrolytic cell, a feed cup, means for supplying electrolyte to said feed cup,

an anode compartment surrounding said foo lb feed cup, said feed cup having an aperture communicating between the interior of the feed cup and the anode compartment, and siphon means for controlling the level of the electrolyte.

3. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, means to supply electrolyte to the said anode compartment, and means for automatically causing the level of the anolyte to vary from a higher pointto a lower point, said points being spaced apart sufiiciently to overcome the usual effect of local action. i

4:. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, means to supply electrolyte to the said anode cpmpartment, and means for automatically reducing the hydrostatic pressure of the anolyte.

5. In an electrolytic cell, a feed cup in communication with the anode compartment, means for supplying electrolyte to the feed cup, and a siphonic overflow arranged with in the feed cup as an outlet for any excess of electrolyte: supplied to the cell.

6. In an electrolytic cell, a frusto-conical metal cathode larger in diameter at the top than at the bottom, a diaphragm within and supportedlby said cathode, and top and hottom members arranged to exert an outward radial pressure for the purpose of clamping the upper and lower marginal edges of the diaphragm to the said cathode.

7. In an electrolytic cell, a frusto-conical metal tension member larger at the top than at the bottom, said member adapted to serve as a cathode, a diaphragm supported by and adjacent to said tension member and clamped at-top and bottom by means of circular compression members, said compression members having a wedge shaped vertical cross section and arranged to exert an outward radial pressure upon the diaphragm and cathode when forced downward int place.

8. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of an anode vessel, a feed cup for the vessel, and means for controlling the level of the liquid in the cup, said controlling means including means whereby the level of said liquid is caused to alternately fluctuate between two levels located appreciable distances apart.

9. In'an electrolytic cell, the combination of a compartment wherein electrolytic action takes place, an electrode extending into said compartment, an electrolyte in s id compartment, and means for automatically causing the level of the electrolyte to vary between levels suiiiciently far apart toovercomethe usual effect of local action.

10. In an electrolytic cell, the combination a compartment wherein electr" ic action xes place, an electrode extend... into said compartment, an electrolyte in said compartment, and a siphon for automatically causing a variation in the level of the electrolyte. 11. In an electrolytic cell, a compartment wherein electrolytic action takes place, an anode and a cathode extending into said compartment and converging toward each other at their inner ends, means for supplying electrolyte to the compartment, and means for automatically varying the level of the electrolyte whereby disintegration of the anode is made to take place progressively from the inner end outwardly.

12. In an electrolytic cell, a compartment wherein electrolytic action takes place, an anode and a cathode extending into said compartment and converging toward each other at their inner ends, means for supplying electrolyte to the compartment, and a siphon for automatically drawing off a por-- tion of the electrolyte when it reaches a predetermined level in the compartment, whereby disintegration of the anode is controlled.

13. In an electrolytic cell, a tru'sto conical cathode having its larger end upward, a diaphragmsupported by and adjacent to said cathode, means for securing the diaphragm to the upper portion of the cathode, and a member adapted to be inserted axially of the cathode, said member being arranged to frictionally engage with and tension the diaphragm, and to exert radially pressure on the lower edge of the diaphragm to clamp it to the cathode. 1

14. In an electrolytic cell, a frusto-conical cathode having its larger endupward, a diaphragm supported by and adjacent to said cathode, a. ring of wedge-shaped crosssection for'clamping the upper end. of the between the feed cup and the cathode, means aflording a. convenient attachment for a suitable lifting device whereby the anode supporting member may be lifted without lifting the cathode.

16. In an electrolytic cell, an anode vessell, a teed cup located within the anode vessel, means for supplying electrolyt to the feed cup, and an overflow adapted as an tor any excess of electrolyte supplied to tie teed cup.

metal tension member, sa .mber adapted to serve as a cathode, a dia eragm support ed by and adjacent to the tension member, iner for circ imfferentially tensioni g the avoid In an electrolytic ce l a trusts-conical 4 bottom members adapted to exert an outbuckling, said means consisting of top and Ward radial pressure.

18. In an electrolytic cell, the combination'of an anode vessel, a feed cup Within the said anode vessel, means to supply-electrolyte t0 the feed cup, and siphonie means to automatically vary the level of the electrolyte in the feed cup.

19. In an electrolytic cell, an anode vessel,

an electrolyte Within the said anode Vessel, means to supply electrolyte to the anode vessell in excess of decomposition requirements, a siphonic overflow arranged as an outlet for the excess of electrolyte supplied to the cell, for the purpose of automatically increasing and diminishing the hydrostatichead of the electrolyte in the anode "essel.

20. In an electrolytic-cell, electrode elements having substantially vertical Working faces spaced apart for electrolyte, a permeable diaphragm between the electrodes and in contact with the cathode, the minimum distance between the electrodes at the surface of the electrolyte being not less than one tenth the depth of the anode submergence.

21. In an electrolyticcell, an anode element having a vertical working face, means whereby disintegrationof the Working face of the anode is effected progressively from the bottom upward,'said means consisting of an inclined cathode-diaphragm ,spaced apart from the anode Working face to form an upwardly ii'icreasing electrolytic path,

' said electrolytic path at the surfaceof the WVitnesses:

NORMAN BERT, .RAY'A. BALL. 

